Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by Spikester:

Pours cloudy orange amber with one finger of white head that lasts about five minutes. Good amount of lacing. Smell is pungent floral hops with some resinous qualities. Might be some rye spice also. Taste is orange zest, pink grapefruit, some pine, spicy rye and a touch of malt sweetness. Might be a bit lacking in the malts but at 4.0% abv. something has to be light.Mouthfeel is thin and carbonation was just enough. Finish is long dry and bitter. Closer to an AIPA in that regard. Overall an outstanding Pale Ale from Payette Brewing Co. I am starting to see these Payette cans in a lot of stores in Oregon and am looking forward to trying more of their beers.

12oz can picked up last night at the COOP... Pours a hazy light orange with a fairly big meringue like head... nice retention and lacing.

Definitely more hop centric than the malt/rye and I have no problems with that.. tropical fruits and pretty big citrus aroma.. still is balanced by a nice graininess that I associate with rye but always have a harder time identifying in hoppier beers. This is pretty nice... Better than I remember.

Smell: very fragrant. Picked up floral notes and citrus. Not complicated, but strong which I didn't expect with a low ABV beer.

Taste: wow! Instant bitterness from the hops (and rye?) and complemented with a subtle malt backbone. Just like the the floral smell, it made me think of lush green hops and bitter grapefruit rind. Something about this made it seem so earthy and fresh. This truly is a hop bomb for a low ABV beer in my opinion.

Mouthfeel: light bodied, perfectly carbonated.

Overall: When having a lower alcohol beer, I kind of lowered my standards. But by doing that, I was just blown away by the smell and flavors. Got this 6 pack at Trader Joe's in Utah for only 7 bucks. Most beers this state cost more than then that and I don't know why!?

I picked this up for the first time at a gas station. As a Utahn my choices at a gas station are limited - per state ABV caps out at 4% unless you hit the liquor store. I didn't expect much, but as a big fan of rye I couldn't help myself. What I got was a really surprisingly delightful session beer. The pour is a typical, mildly turbid pale bronze with a reasonable amount of head and that hallmark, piney Pacific Northwestern hops aroma. The taste has all the qualities of a good American pale ale: citrusy, floral, and bitter with a malty offset. The gritty, earthy quality of well-balanced rye gives it its unique appeal. Peppercorns and caraway seeds come to mind. Perhaps due to high carbonation and low alcohol content, its rich, unique flavor doesn't detract from its refreshing quality.